Mobile communication device having panoramic imagemaking capability

ABSTRACT

A mobile communication device, in particular a mobile telephone, a PDA or a MDA. In one embodiment, the mobile communication device includes: (1) a main body and (2) a camera module, coupled to the main body and configured for rotation relative to the main body about at least one axis of rotation. In another embodiment, the main body has a camera module mechanical interface, the camera module has a main body mechanical interface that is complementary to the camera module mechanical interface and the camera module is configured to be removably coupled to the main body and further configured for rotation relative to the main body about at least one axis of rotation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO FOREIGN APPLICATION

This application is the National Stage of, and therefore claims thebenefit of, International Application No. PCT/US2004/031193 filed onSep. 23, 2004, entitled “MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE HAVING PANORAMICIMAGEMAKING CAPABILITY,” which was published in English underInternational Publication Number WO 2006/041443 A1 on Apr. 20, 2006 andis incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed, in general, to mobile communicationdevices and, more specifically, to a mobile communication device havinga panoramic imagemaking capability.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A dramatic type of photography involves the capturing of panoramicimages. The first panoramic pictures, taken in the 1840s, were composedby joining a series of separate daguerrotype images. By and large,panoramic images continued to be made this way for over a hundred andfifty years. While special panoramic cameras exist, they arepurpose-built and therefore not suitable for making nonpanoramic,“standard,” images. Special panoramic cameras are therefore considerednovelties of limited use.

Assuming one has only a nonpanoramic camera to create a panoramic image,digital photography and photograph manipulation computer software (e.g.,Adobe Photoshop) have come together to make the task of joining separatepictures together easier, resulting in more “seamless” panoramic images.However, it is still necessary to capture a series of digital imageswhile rotating the camera around a single axis of rotation, to transferthese images to a personal computer (PC) and to join the separate imagesinto a panoramic image by means of a suitable software. The usertherefore needs to be familiar with the PC and the photographmanipulation software.

Because a single axis of rotation is required, a tripod is indispensablefor all but the steadiest and most experienced hands. In fact, astandard tripod is generally not sufficient for such purposes, butinstead a tripod equipped with a specialized turntable is needed. Aexemplary turntable that can be used for this purpose is described inU.S. Patent Application Number 20030128975 A1, entitled “Multi-purposeTurntable for Creation of Three Dimensional Pictures.”

One of the greatest benefits of digital photography is the possibilityto see the image almost immediately after it has been captured. Thus,multiple images of the same object can be taken and only the best kept.However, in the case of panoramic images, it being necessary to processthe captured images by means of a PC, the final result cannot be judgedat the time when taking the photographs. Therefore, the benefit of imageimmediacy does not apply when capturing panoramic images. Further, sincethe required apparatus includes a PC, portability is difficult andspontaneity is probably impossible.

At the same time mobile communication devices are increasingly used formore than just speech communication. A variety of applications, such asmessaging services, data communication, e-mail or fax services, havebecome available to the users of mobile communication devices.

The ongoing development in digital imaging devices furthermore makes itpossible today to equip mobile communication devices with digitalcameras at affordable prices, whereby new multimedia services becomeavailable. So it is possible to take digital photographs and send themto a friend by means of the Multimedia Message System (MMS). It is evenpossible to record video clips and send them by means of an MMS.

Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a better way to createpanoramic images. More particularly, what is needed in the art is a wayto make panoramic images that substantially preserves the flexibility,portability and spontaneity of standard cameras.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, thepresent invention provides a mobile communication device, in particulara mobile telephone, a PDA or a MDA. In one embodiment, the mobilecommunication device includes: (1) a main body and (2) a camera module,coupled to the main body and configured for rotation relative to themain body about at least one axis of rotation. In another embodiment,the main body has a camera module mechanical interface, the cameramodule has a main body mechanical interface that is complementary to thecamera module mechanical interface and the camera module is configuredto be removably coupled to the main body and further configured forrotation relative to the main body about at least one axis of rotation.Thus, the main body and the camera body are unitary in the formerembodiment and decouplable from one another in the latter embodiment.

In more specific embodiments, the camera module is motor-driven, suchthat it pans through a given angle at a given rate of angular speed andcaptures images at a given rate. The resulting images thus relate to oneanother in a known way and can be automatically composited within themobile telecommunication device without requiring manual intervention bythe user.

The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, preferred and alternativefeatures of the present invention so that those skilled in the art maybetter understand the detailed description of the invention thatfollows. Additional features of the invention will be describedhereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Thoseskilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use thedisclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing ormodifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of thepresent invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize thatsuch equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe invention in its broadest form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference isnow made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of one embodiment of a mobilecommunication device having a rotatable camera module and constructedaccording to the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2A illustrates a top view of the mobile communication device ofFIG. 1 showing in particular the camera module in progressive positions,in which a series of standard images for a panoramic image is captured;

FIG. 2B illustrates an enlarged view of the camera module of FIG. 2A;and

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a mobile communication device having acamera module that is retractable into the main body of the mobilecommunication device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring initially to FIG. 1, illustrated is a front view of apreferred embodiment of an inventive mobile communication device 100having a rotatable camera module 200 and constructed according to theprinciples of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, thecamera module 200 is automatically rotatable about an axis of rotation400 through angles up to and exceeding 360°. However, those skilled inthe pertinent art will understand that angular excursions less than 360°fall within the broad scope of the present invention. The automaticrotation is achieved in the illustrated embodiment by means of a motor300, which is connected to the camera module 200 by a drive shaft 310.

In the illustrated embodiment, the camera module 200 comprises a flash204 and a self-timer, which is connected to a light-emitting diode (LED)206 for indicating an elapse of the delay time of the self-timer.

The camera module 200 is shown with the lens 202 facing a back side ofthe mobile communication device 100, the front side being defined as theside of the mobile communication device 100 on which the display 120 andthe keypad 140 are arranged. This is a typical position suitable fortaking standard digital photos or video clips.

The camera module 200 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted at a top side of themain body 110. Of course, the camera module 200 could also be mounted atthe side of the main body 110 or at any position, in which it can beautomatically rotated.

Certainly, the invention is not limited to mobile telephones, but canalso be used for personal digital assistants (PDA) or mobile digitalassistants (MDA) or any other conventional or later-developed mobilecommunication device.

Turning now to FIG. 2A, illustrated is a top view of the mobilecommunication device of FIG. 1 showing in particular the camera module200 in progressive positions, in which a series of standard images for apanoramic image are captured. Three of the positions, which are relativeto the main body 110 of the mobile communication device (100 of FIG. 1)are designated 210, 220, 230. For each position, a corresponding angleof view γ is shown.

To generate a panoramic image, the camera module 200 rotates through theuser-defined angle α from the first position 210 through the secondposition 220 to the third position 230. In each position 210, 220 and230 a standard digital photograph is taken. In this example, theautomatic rotation of the camera module is performed in two steps, eachof angle β.

The number of steps and the value of β needed for the panoramic image iscalculated by a software program integrated in the mobile communicationdevice (100 of FIG. 1). For this purpose, the user defines a value forthe total angle of rotation a before the capturing process is started,for instance by entering the value by means of the keypad 140.Furthermore, a minimal value for the relative overlap of the view of twoconsecutive images is defined. This value for instance can be predefinedand stored in a memory of the mobile communication device 100 or canalso be entered by the user.

In the example shown in FIG. 2A the angle α has a value of 60°, therelative overlap is defined to be 40% and the angle of view γ of thecamera module has a value of 50°. Angle β is made smaller than angle γfor a non-zero overlap. The relative overlap is given by δ/γ with δbeing the difference between angles γ and β, i.e., δ=γ−β. Thus, in thisexample angle β has a value of 0.6 γ, i.e., 30°, resulting in two stepsof angle β needed for the rotation through angle α and therefore threestandard images needed to generate the panoramic image. For largerangles α, more steps are performed and more standard images arecaptured. The actual step of generating the panoramic image from thecaptured standard images is performed by means of an image-stitchingsoftware program stored in a memory of the mobile communication device.

The resulting panoramic image is stored in a memory of the mobilecommunication device and can then be displayed on the display 120 orsent via email or MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) to another mobilecommunication device, as the user may desire.

Turning now to FIG. 2E, illustrated is an enlarged view of the cameramodule of FIG. 2A. FIG. 2B shows the positions of the optical lens ofthe camera module for the positions shown in FIG. 2A. If the cameramodule 200 is in one of the positions 210, 220 or 230, the optical lens202 is in one of the respective positions 212, 222 or 232. In theembodiment of FIG. 2B, the optical center of the lens 202 is locatedessentially on the axis of rotation 400 in each of the positions 212,222 and 232. That way it is achieved that the optical center of the lensis fixed in space during rotation, thereby reducing possible perspectivedistortions in a panoramic image.

Turning now to FIG. 3, illustrated is a side view of a mobilecommunication device having a camera module 200 that is configured to becoupled to and decoupled from the main body 110 of a mobilecommunication device 100. The camera module 200 has a main bodymechanical interface complementary to a camera module mechanicalinterface (both interfaces are schematically represented by adouble-headed arrow spanning the main body 110 and the camera module200.

In the illustrated embodiment, the camera module 200 is retractable froman exposed position into a retracted position 210. In the retractedposition 240, the camera module 200 is protected against externalinfluences. For user convenience, the camera module 200 can include aspring mechanism, by which the camera module 200 can be automaticallyejected and brought into the exposed position. For this purpose alsoretaining means can be provided, which hold back the spring untilreleased by the user.

In the illustrated embodiment, the camera module 200 further comprises aflash 204 and a self-timer, which is connected to a LED 206 forindicating the elapsing of the delay time of the self-timer.

Although the present invention has been described in detail, thoseskilled in the art should understand that they can make various changes,substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention in its broadest form.

1. A mobile telephone, comprising: a main body having a camera modulemechanical interface; a camera module having a main body mechanicalinterface complementary to said camera module mechanical interface, saidcomplementary interfaces configured to allow said camera module to bemoved from an exposed position to a retracted position, said cameramodule configured for rotation relative to said main body about at leastone axis of rotation when said camera module is in said exposedposition; means for automatically rotating said camera module about saidat least one axis of rotation through a user-definable first angle α inat least two steps, each step comprising an angular displacement ofessentially a second angle β, wherein said second angle β is smallerthan said angle of view γ of said camera module and said second angle βhas a value of about 60% of said angle γ; means for capturing a seriesof images with said camera module by capturing one image before rotatingsaid camera module, capturing one image between each two consecutivesteps of rotation and capturing one image after rotating said cameramodule; a memory with a stored image-stitching software program forgenerating a panoramic image from said series of images by stitchingtogether said series of images and a microprocessor by which saidimage-stitching software program can be executed; and a memory forstoring said panoramic image for display.
 2. The mobile telephone asrecited in claim 1 wherein a relative overlap between each image of saidseries of images is predefined and stored in said memory.
 3. The mobiletelephone as recited in claim 1 wherein said camera module is rotatableabout at least 360°.
 4. The mobile telephone as recited in claim 1further comprising means for capturing a video sequence with said cameramodule during rotation of said camera module through said first angle αby capturing a plurality of images with a given frequency.
 5. The mobiletelephone as recited in claim 1 wherein said camera module is movablewith respect to said main body between said retracted and said exposedposition, in particular by means of a translatory movement.
 6. Themobile telephone as recited in claim 1 further comprisinguser-releasable retaining means for holding said camera module in saidretracted position and transporting means to automatically transportsaid camera module from said retracted position to said exposedposition.
 7. The mobile telephone as recited in claim 1 furthercomprising a display configured to display said panoramic image.
 8. Amobile telephone, comprising: a main body having a camera modulemechanical interface; a camera module having a main body mechanicalinterface complementary to said camera module mechanical interface, saidcomplementary interfaces configured to allow said camera module to bemoved from an exposed position to a retracted position, said cameramodule configured for rotation relative to said main body about at leastone axis of rotation when said camera module is in said exposedposition; means for entering a first angle α for rotating said cameramodule about said at least one axis of rotation; means for calculating asecond angle β and a number of steps for rotating said camera modulethrough said first angle α at said second angle β for each of saidsteps; means for automatically rotating said camera module said numberof steps about said at least one axis of rotation at said second angleβ; means for capturing a series of images with said camera module bycapturing one image before rotating said camera module, capturing oneimage between each two consecutive steps of rotation and capturing oneimage after rotating said camera module, wherein said calculating isbased on said first angle α and a relative overlap between each image ofsaid series of images and wherein said first angle α is user-defined andentered employing said means for entering; and a memory with a storedimage-stitching software program for generating a panoramic image fromsaid series of images by stitching together said series of images and amicroprocessor by which said image-stitching software program can beexecuted.
 9. The mobile telephone as recited in claim 8 furthercomprising a memory for storing said panoramic image for display. 10.The mobile telephone as recited in claim 8 wherein said means forcalculating determines said second angle β from the equation β=γ(1−(saidrelative overlap)) where γ is an angle of view of said camera module.11. The mobile telephone as recited in claim 8 wherein said relativeoverlap is user-defined and entered by a user employing said means forentering.